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LAS VEGAS by Sharon Harris
More than 102 years after its founding as a desert train stop, Las Vegas is one of the
fastest growing cities in the United States. What began as a sleepy dessert town has evolved
into a city unlike any other. The gaming paradise showcases unequalled casino, architecture
and leisure activities for its international visitors.
Las Vegas was founded as a part of a land auction conducted by railroad authorities. One
section from the total land area-Block 16- was allocated for vice. Block 16 was the location
of the popular Arizona Club, which permitted drinking, prostitution and gambling.
The era of vice was short-lived. Lawmakers outlawed gaming in 1910. Almost two decades
later, the Great Depression of the 1930s devastated Las Vegas, isolated from so many other
regions.
The proposed Hoover Dam near Las Vegas in 1931 motivated legislators to seek ways to
promote economic growth. They legalized gaming throughout Nevada as the solution.
For 20 years, Fremont Street, the heart of downtown Las Vegas, was the site of numerous
casino properties. Several still exist, including the Golden Nugget and the Horseshoe.
Heading south on Highway 91, the stretch of land that was soon developed was dubbed
“The Las Vegas Strip” in 1952, forever transforming Las Vegas into a complete resort area. plex. Icons Donald Trump and Steve Wynn are set to open Trump International condo-hotel
Fifty years of unprecedented construction and design include several landmark events: tower in February 2008 and Wynn’s 2,000-room Encore tower will complement the Wynn
the Riviera opened as the first nine-story skyscraper casino in the 1950s, and the Stardust luxury hotel with an early 2009 debut.
introduced the show extravaganza, superstar headliners and bright exterior neon lights in Other high-end sites include MGM Mirage’s $7 billion CityCenter, one of the most ambi-
1958; giant themed properties like Caesars Palace, Circus Circus and curved hotel architec- tious projects ever developed. The “neighborhood” of seven buildings will feature five high-
ture debuted in the 1960s. rise residential and condo-hotel locations in the middle of the Strip. Planned completion is
Corporate ownership replaced private entrepreneurship since the 1970s, and gaming late 2009.
remains among America’s most regulated industries. Finally, Echelon Place will be built on the former site of the Stardust. Boyd Gaming’s $4
The megaresort premiered when the Mirage opened in1989, and theming became the billion development of five architecturally diverse hotels will incorporate convention facili-
standard in the 1990s, with the appearance of hotels replicating the New York City skyline, ties, dining, shopping and entertainment outlets.
Venice, ancient Egypt, ancient Rome and Paris. The Las Vegas metropolitan area continues to grow, with a population well above one mil-
The off-Strip Hard Rock, Palms and Station Casinos properties have created a niche mar- lion. It boasts almost 40 million visitors annually, exceeding the wildest dreams of its
ket for locals and younger customers. Planet Hollywood has entered the operating market founders. In addition to constant renovation and expansion of McCarran International
by acquiring the seven-year-old Aladdin. The Mandalay Bay’s pool area has introduced Airport, there has been talk of building a second airport.
“poolside” gaming with an outdoor terrace. With their “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” marketing program, civic leaders aim
Many properties have changed ownership, and another new crop of venues will emerge to attract a multicultural, diverse group of visitors. They promote Las Vegas as an oasis of
by 2010. A variety of new hotel towers, plus planned communities, are on the drawing dining, shopping, entertainment, spa treatments and lush natural scenery for both the gam-
boards. The Venetian will open the Palazzo tower in late 2007, creating a 7,000-room com- bler and non-gambler of all ages and budgets.
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